They had told her that she would not be able to reach the valley at all that day if she left it until the afternoon; and this fell in with her own resolution, which was to go at once while she had the courage.
So she set out when the excitement was at its height, and no one else in the village thought of anything but the mad Englishman. There were thousands grouped upon the plateau when the sleigh came for her; every commanding slope of snow was black with the people who stared into the ether as though their eyes might win a far vision if they had but the patience. She could hear the music of bands, the ebb1 and flow of carnival2 and a murmur3 of voices which betoken4 a great throng5 at its pleasures. When the sleigh came for her at length, André the driver, complained bitterly that he should be compelled to go down to Sierre at such a moment.
"It is a thing no man will ever see again," he said almost pathetically. "Madame should have stayed until her countryman returned."
She made no comment, and when she had settled everything with the dour6 maid, who was to return to Brigue, they began their drive, making their way carefully through the press, and arousing no comment where so many strangers were gathered. André, for his part, drew up more than once at the roadside to show her just where the madman had flown and by what height he would return.
"It was over there," he cried dramatically, indicating Mont Blanc with a flourish of his long whip. "I saw him myself, madame—like the eagle we see in the picture books. He was gone before a man could have counted ten. If he comes again, it will be over the Weisshorn. Just think of that—and we have lived to see it! He will come over the Weisshorn like a flash of light, and to-morrow all the world will hear of it. Well, we may not be too late after all, if we keep our eyes open. It is a pity, though, that madame must go to-day."
She made no reply. Her eyes had followed vaguely8 the course of the flight, and she had tried to realise the wonder of it. But her deeper thoughts forbade her to do so. Had she been honest with herself, she would have said that she was going away just because of this man's victory—fleeing from his success, because she believed that it was her duty to do so.
Here she proved once more that a woman's heart is impregnable to the assaults of reason. Luton Delayne had not a shadow of claim upon her. The world would say, "Well done!" if she carried her case to the courts and ended forever the tragedy of the years. She intended to do nothing of the kind. Behind her intention lay the traditions of centuries, the habit of mind which the ancient Faith had fostered, and the resolution of unnumbered millions of good women who had lived and suffered such a life as this. At their bidding she fled from another and from his victory. A certain resentment9 against the honours he had won possessed10 her. He would be famous before the world to-morrow!
It was warmer in the depths of the valley, and the sun shone with great power. Sierre, that odd little town where all Englishmen travelling to the Simplon gather at some time or other, was deserted11 to the point of wonder. Even the hall-porter at the Terminus Hotel had gone a little way up the hillside in the hope of seeing something of the flight. The officials at the railway station were gathered in the yard, staring skywards until their necks ached. When Lily obtained a hearing at last, they told her it would be almost impossible to go through to Italy to-night by any ordinary train, and that all the places in the sleeping-cars were booked. Far better, said the amiable12 old lady who received her at the Terminus, far better to stay until to-morrow, when the excitement would be over. Yes, she could have a bed. An English family had left unexpectedly for Caux that morning, and its rooms were vacant.
Lily decided13 to accept this wise advice, but prudence14 restrained her from sending a telegram to Luton. She spent the afternoon in wandering about the little town and listening to the wild tales of the gossips at the street corners, each of whom had some new version of the flight. The excellent telephone service in Switzerland spread the news rapidly enough, and it was soon known that the aviator15 had reached Mont Blanc, that he had descended16 safely, and gone on towards Zermatt amid scenes of almost frantic17 enthusiasm. Later on, there was a sudden bustle18 in the streets, men running hither and thither19, and an exodus20 from the station and from every café. Someone said that the machine had been seen high over the northern slopes; but Lily herself could make nothing of it, and when she returned for a cup of afternoon tea the excitement had subsided21 as quickly as it arose, and all was quiet in the town again.
This was merely a lull23, as events proved, and she quickly perceived the wisdom of the advice offered by the landlady24. No sooner was it known that the Englishman had succeeded than the sleighs began to return to the station. One would not have believed that there were so many horses in the Rhone Valley, and this was to say nothing of the thousands of excursionists who came down on foot besieging25 the railway station, and filling every café to the point of riot. Lily was glad that she had abandoned all idea of a journey to Locarno until to-morrow, and she went to bed early, avoiding her loquacious26 countrymen in the corridor of the hotel, and trying to believe that she was little interested in their excited stories of the day. When she arose next morning, it was snowing hard, and the wind had attained27 some force. She did not dare to venture out, and kept her own room until after dinner, when the news reached her that there was a delay upon the line at Brigue, and it was doubtful if the evening express could reach Milan at all that night.
Everyone seemed sure of this—the hall-porter, who spoke28 English like a German, and the amiable landlady, who spoke French like an Italian. Exactly what had happened no one could say with certainty, and the stories were so contradictory29 that Lily put on her hat about nine o'clock and went over to the station to hear the news for herself.
It was snowing heavily and the wind bitterly cold. She found a little group of officials upon the dimly-lighted platform and two or three English people, who, like herself, had been on the point of going into Italy. One of these was no other than Harry30 Clavering, who recognised her immediately, and came forward with both hands outstretched. She remembered that he had been the first of the guests at Andana to offer friendship upon her arrival, and she thought it an odd coincidence that she should meet him here at such an hour.
"They told me you had returned to England," he exclaimed, "but you never said good-bye to anyone. We did not even have an opportunity to snowball you. Why, everyone who goes away from Andana is snowballed. The more snow you get down your neck, the more popular you are. I was nearly smothered31 to-day. Yes, they were very kind to me. But it was a real disappointment to us all that you should go without a word."
She told him that urgent private business had summoned her to Italy, and expressed her pleasure to meet him.
"The hotel is full of English people," she said, "therefore one knows nobody. Of course, you have heard the news? The express runs no further than Brigue to-night—there is some trouble on the line. We should have gone by the slow train earlier in the day, it appears; but I am always so shy of slow trains in Italy. Now they will not promise to take us until to-morrow, and perhaps not then. I have just been speaking to the station-master about it, and learned the truth so far as he is capable of telling it. Poor man, one would think the end of the world was at hand."
Harry Clavering did not seem at all upset.
"It is quite unusual," he explained, trotting32 by her side as she began to pace the long platform; "the express runs usually with the regularity33 of a clock, though some clocks, by the way, strike at all the stations. I expect there has been a heavy fall of snow and one of the galleries is giving trouble; or there may have been a slight accident. They tell me that the gale34 last night was very severe on the other side. Was it not lucky that your friend, Mr. Benson, won the prize when he did? He would never have done it to-day."
She did not fail to notice that he spoke of "her friend, Mr. Benson," and she wondered that he had done so. Some women would have disclaimed35 the association; but Lily Delayne held the little hypocrisies36 of life in some contempt, and rarely stooped to them. So she accepted the charge, and found herself talking of Benny's victory.
"Is he not a very remarkable37 man?" she said. "I guessed it the first day I saw him, though that did not appear to be the common opinion. The Englishman is so often judged by the partialities of his critics that many such mistakes are made. Surely, of all the people in Europe, we are the slowest to discover those who do us most honour. Now don't you agree with that, Mr. Clavering?"
"With every word of it, my dear lady. Our study of mankind finds us rare dunces. I think most of us would be ploughed if our degrees depended upon it. We are shrewd judges of results, but children in estimating the mind by which results are achieved. And we have ceased, alas38! to be pioneers. Even Mr. Benson cannot claim to have invented the aeroplane. He is but an imitator, though a very clever one, I admit."
He perceived that she was interested, and went on to tell her all that had been said of Benny during the day. Totally destitute39 of the commercial mind himself, and wofully ignorant of finance, he repeated Sir Gordon Snagg's loquacious prophecies. It would be odd if Mr. Benson did not make a hundred thousand pounds in the course of the year, and that, surely, was a very big sum for such a man. Why, he would never know what to do with it. Then there would be all the fame attending—just fame, and well earned. Already a message had come from the King, and the French President had conferred the Grand Cordon40 upon the victor. It was said that Mr. Benson had received offers which would carry him to every quarter of the globe. He was to leave Switzerland immediately, it was understood, going straight to London, where a great reception had been prepared for him by Sir John Perinder.
Lily heard him with an occasional word of comment, but did not question him further. Presently the great express came steaming into the station; the gongs rang musically, and the English people flocked across the rails to take their places. This was the northern-bound train. But the night express for Milan followed it almost at once, and a rare confusion followed. Everyone bawled41 the news to everyone else who would listen. There had been an accident at Domo d'Ossola, and the line was quite blocked; they had to transfer the passengers to the southern-bound train, which was held up beyond the tunnel; it had not been a serious accident, and nobody was hurt. When the trains departed at length, the flare42 from their furnaces could be seen for many miles, the great funnels43 vomiting44 flame, and the wind carrying the sparks high above the valley. Then, as by magic, the little station appeared to settle down to sleep; the officials vanished; the English people returned to their hotel; the red and green lanterns stood sentinels of the night.
It was just after ten o'clock when Lily re-entered the corridor of the Terminus. She had no desire to go to bed, and when the parson begged permission to smoke his "lastly" with her, she assented45 very willingly. This kindly46, gentle soul, the world appeared to have cast him out also, for he was without kith or kin7, a lonely bachelor in this wilderness47 of mountains, desiring nothing so much as the good of mankind, but deprived by the subtleties48 of the ecclesiastical system from any performance which would have done him credit before the people. Naturally, he delighted in the society of a beautiful woman, who stood to him for a type of all that was highest and holiest in the human story. At a look from her he would have revealed the most sacred truths of his life—for so are men led to the confessional; but the opportunity passed, and he spoke again of things he believed to be commonplace.
"By the way," he said, "do you remember the strange affair at Vermala?"
She looked up astonished.
"Yes, indeed; and what of it?"
"Well, I chanced to meet one of the gendarmes49 this morning, a mere22 boy, whom they call Philip Gaillarde. He tells me that the affair is no longer a mystery. It was his brother who was killed on the Zaat—I believe by an Englishman who has been in trouble. The young man had just obtained leave from his superiors to go into Italy—I think he must have started by the morning train. He says that the assassin is near Locarno on Lake Maggiore. He has gone there to-day to arrest him."
Lily made what reply she could, but she did not speak again of it. The night had been very cold, and now that they were under shelter again she began to fear that she had taken a chill. A shivering fit was succeeded by a little faintness, which caused the parson great concern. He advised her to go to bed immediately, and she welcomed the suggestion.
Philip Gaillarde in Italy! What, then, had prevented her going that morning? An excuse of the trains. She knew that it was not so, but rather the hope that she might yet see a man who loved her, and say "farewell" to him.
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1
ebb
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| vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态 | |
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carnival
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| n.嘉年华会，狂欢，狂欢节，巡回表演 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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betoken
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| v.预示 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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dour
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| adj.冷酷的，严厉的；（岩石）嶙峋的；顽强不屈 | |
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7
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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8
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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aviator
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| n.飞行家，飞行员 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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exodus
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| v.大批离去，成群外出 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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22
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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lull
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| v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇 | |
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landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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besieging
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的现在分词 ) | |
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loquacious
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| adj.多嘴的，饶舌的 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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28
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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29
contradictory
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| adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立 | |
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30
harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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31
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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32
trotting
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| 小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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regularity
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| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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disclaimed
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| v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
hypocrisies
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| n.伪善，虚伪( hypocrisy的名词复数 ) | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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38
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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destitute
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| adj.缺乏的；穷困的 | |
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40
cordon
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| n.警戒线，哨兵线 | |
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41
bawled
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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42
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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43
funnels
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| 漏斗( funnel的名词复数 )； （轮船，火车等的）烟囱 | |
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44
vomiting
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| 吐 | |
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45
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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46
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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47
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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48
subtleties
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| 细微( subtlety的名词复数 )； 精细； 巧妙； 细微的差别等 | |
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49
gendarmes
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| n.宪兵，警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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